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If so, you may have been overcharged by your escrow company, and not even know it. Consumer Watchdog is investigating certain escrow companies who are up to no good, and we need your help.

The purchase of a home is the biggest single financial transaction in the lives of most Americans. Part of that transaction is the mysterious process called “escrow.” Money goes in, incredibly dense legal documents change hands, and real estate is magically transferred. Overseeing this process is a master magician called the “escrow officer.” The escrow officer serves as a supposedly neutral administrator who manages the escrow in strict compliance with the “escrow instructions”— guidelines set by the buyer and seller as to how the escrow should proceed.

The escrow company is supposed to follow those instructions. But some escrow officers are secretly and illegally disobeying the escrow instructions in ways that benefit the escrow company’s corporate interests, while costing the parties more than they bargained for. Quality is compromised too.

If you or someone you know has bought or sold a home in the last 5 years, you can help. We would like to hear from anyone who used the following escrow/title companies in their home purchase:

Fidelity National Title Insurance Company

Chicago Title Insurance Company

Alamo Title Insurance

Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company

Lawyers Title

Ticor Title

We won’t share your information with any other person or organization. Please include your name, city or town, state, telephone number, the company you used from the list above, and a convenient time to call you.

With your help we can make the purchase of a home the dream-come-true it should be, instead of the corporate rip-off it has become. Thank you in advance.